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Rustic Pork, Bean and Vegetable Stew
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 16 cups
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups waxy potatoes cubed
- 2 cups carrots chopped
- 3 small leeks - white and light green parts only thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooked pork or ham pulled or chopped
- 2, 15.5 ounce cans white beans with liquid
- 1, 15.5 ounce can red kidney beans with liquid
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh green beans chopped
- 5 cups 32 ounces low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 fresh sage leaves finely chopped or 1 teaspoon ground sage
- Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
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In a large, lidded soup pot, add the olive oil, cubed potatoes, chopped carrots, and sauté over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften – about 10 minutes. Add sliced leeks, and sauté for another five minutes.
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Add the cooked pork, white and kidney beans with liquid, corn kernels, peas, green beans, chicken or vegetable stock, bay leaves, garlic, and sage, and stir well to combine ingredients.
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Simmer (partially covered) over medium-high heat for 30 – 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Then, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (partially covered) for an additional 30 – 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat when vegetables are tender, all flavors have combined, and the stock has cooked down and thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish if you wish, and enjoy.
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Refrigerate in a covered container for up to two days, or freeze for up to two months.
Recipe Notes
*If you prefer to make a vegetarian version of this soup, just add two more cans of beans (i.e, butter beans) in place the pork.
*Whether or not you peel your potatoes and carrots is up to you. I usually scrub them really well and remove any blemishes, but keep the peels on.
*Use any kind of beans you like. If using black beans, however, drain and rinse them first. Adding the liquid from a can of black beans will turn the stew “muddy”.
*Remember to remove the bay leaves when serving.
*If freezing, use freezer safe zipper bags or lidded containers.